heath



(Ho Modem P. H. HEATH.

, RAILJOINT. No. 495,002.

Patented Apr. 4, 1893.

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pn: nomas mens ca md'wmuu., w *Hr ov n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EHEDEEIOH H. HEATH, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASsIeNOE rIO THE HEATHHAIL JOINT COMPANY, OE SAME PLAGE.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,002, dated April 4,1893.

Vllpplioatiun tiled May 23, 1892.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that l, FREDERICK H. HEATH, of Minneapolis, in the county ofHennepin and State of Minnesota, have inventeda certainlmprovedRail-Joint, of which the following is aspeciiieation.

My invention relates torail joints and supports and clamps thereforandits object is to provide a device of this class which will occupy aminimum weight and space in metal, which will possess a maximum strengthto counteract the downward, lateral or torsional strains on the rail orrails, and finally which may be readily adjusted to any size rail withequal success.

To this end my invention consists in the combination with the tie-plateadapted to eX- tend across and between adjoining ties and provided withdepending trusses, of the rail or rails adapted to rest thereon, a pairof angularly formed rocker-clamps, a bolt extending transversely underthe tie-plate for fastening said clamps, a separable angle-bar for oneside of the rail and an integral angle-bar formed on the other side ofthe plate to engage the opposite side of the rail and having a gap oropening through which the clamps upon that side of the device projectsinto engagement with the flange of the rail or rails; and further invarious details of construction and in combinations all as hereinafterdescribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in Which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a view of the other side thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlargedtransverse section on the line I3-.fr of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 showsaplan'vieur of the clamping jaws and bolt detached and as seen from beneath.Fig. 5 shows the clamping bolt, and, Figs. 6 and '7 are respectivelyside and seetional views of the Washer which I employ.

As shown in the drawings, the rails 2, 2 are adapted to rest upon theplain upper surface of the long tie-plate 3 which in turn rests upon andis fastened to thetops of the cross ties a. This plate is strengthenedon its under side by the integralrv and depending trusses sans No.433,965. (No man shown, the same being made up of the vertical web 5,the diagonal extensions 6 thereof and the transverse trusses 7. Therails are aligned by the integral angle bar S extending up from theouter edge of the tie-plate and adapted to engage the Webs only oftherails and fastened thereto by the bolts 9 which extend through largeholes in the Webs andare fastened on the separable angle bar 10 havingthe inclined upper edge 11 to engage the under side of the tread or ballof the rail and the long angle foot 12 to rest firmly upon the top ofthe rail base or ange. The lower edge 13 of the angle-bar rests upon thetop of the tie-plate 3 which is extended to support the sanne. The railsare firmly clamped on the tieplate by the longitudinally arranged curvedclamps or rocker-jaws 14 and 15, each of `which is strengthened bysegmental ribs 16 and has tivo approaching clamp edges 1S. The spacebetween the clamping edges in each case is narrower than the opening inthe inner part of the clamp. ln order that the upper clamping edge ofthe block 14 may engage the base of the rail or rails directly I formthe opening shown in the inclined part of the integral angle bar 8, theends of this opening servin g to prevent the slipping of the clampingblock longitudinally. The clamp 15 is made larger than the other inorder to take in the added thickness of the angle bar. The under side ofeach clamp is provided with a slot 20 and the outer side of each with alongitudinal seat 21, having the outwardly extended lower edge 22.

For securing the clamping blocks or jaws I employ the bolt 23 having theT-head 24: adapted to restin the seat 21 of the clamp l5. The other endof the bolt is threaded to receive the nut 25 and a long Washerl havingthe semicylindrical bearing surface or nib 27 and the flat face, and isinserted between the nut 25 and the seat 2l of the clamp 14, the boltpassing through a gap arranged in the Web 5 beneath the tie-plate. Itwill be seen that when the clamping blocks are adj usted upon the railand plate the lower edges 18 will project in beyond the upper edges ofthe jaws so that when the nut is tightened on the bolt the upper edgesare drawn down rnily upon the tops of the rails with a con- IOO . thesanne in place. n Owing to the cylindrical bearings employed between thebolt and' the clamp the boltwill always occupy 'a level true Vpositionand Vexert its strengthat the greatest advantage. It will be seen thatthe clamping blocks are prevented from Lslipping on the plates bythetransverse trusses 7. n

Having thus .described my invention, I claimas new and desire tosecureby Lettersy Patent- 1.` The combination with Vthe rails ot the twoangle-bars to engageopposite sides there of, the two rocker-clampshaving clamping edges 18 andeaoh having a transverse slot in its lowerside, and. the draw-bolt extending beneath the rails and having itsends'seeured in said slots, as andy for the purpose specified.'

2. The combination with the rails, ot the tie-plate Whereon they rest,means for aligning'the rails, the two rocker-clamps or 'blocks providedwith the edges 18,'the lower one of which bears upon the under side ofsaid plate, and theV transverse draW-boltwhereby said clamps arefastened, substantially as describedand for the purpose specilied.

3. kThe combination with the rails, of thek tie-plate having'thedepending truss and the integral yangle bar, said integral angle-barprovided with the gap or opening, the separak ble angle-bar, the smallerlcurved clamping block for the integral angle-.barside of the device,the larger clamp to engage the foot of said separable bar, and the lowerside of saidl plate and the fastening bolt arranged'beneath said plate,lsubstantially as set forth.

4. The combination VWith then'ailaot1 the l f ktie-plate, theangle-bars, the curved clamping blocks, said clamping blocks providedwith the longitudinal seats, the adj ustablewasher pivoted inV one ofthem, andthey draw-bolt' having a T-head seated in the other, substamtially as described. f f Y 5. The combination with' the rail or rails,of the tie-plate 'provided with the integral de pending trusses, and theintegral angle-bar f having the gap described, the curved clampingblocks 14 and 15 having clamping edges 18,` andthesegmentalstrengthening ribsV 16, f ksaicl blocks having slotted lowersides andY the horizontal semi-cylindrical seats 21, the bolt having theT-head to rest in one of said seats, the Washer 26 to rest in the otherseat and a ylocking nut onsaid bolt, substantially asdescribed. Y

6. [The combination with the rail or rails, of the tie-plate adapted torest upon the crossties and providedV withthe integral trusses 5,

'upon the rails, curved clamping blocks or jaws having clamping edges18, and the fastening Y bolt therefor, substantially als described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of May,A. D. 1892.

j FREDERICK H. HEATH.

